BRIEF  MEMOIR 

OF 

DENNIS  CURTIS, 

PREPARED  BY  HIS  PASTOR, 

Rev.  L.  W.  CRAWFORD, 

A  nd  read  on  the  occasion  of  his  funeral  at  the  MetJiodist 
Church,  in  Greensboro,  Sept.  15,  1885. 


Published  for  private  distribution  among  friends  by  the 
family  of  the  deceased. 


GREENSBORO: 
Thomas,  Reece  &  Co.,  Job  Printers. 
1885. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2013 


http://archive.org/details/briefmemoirofden01craw 


ME1MOIR. 


The  subject  of  this  memoir,  our  dear  departed 
brother,  Dennis  Curtis,  was  born  in  Randolph  county, 
N.  C,  November  14th,  1826.  He  never  possessed  a 
robust,  hardy  constitution,  but  from  boyhood  was 
thoughtful,  steady  and  energetic. 

At  an  early  age,  by  reason  of  his  industrious  and 
temperate  habits,  his  strict  attention  to  business  and 
his  marked  propriety  of  conduct,  he  won  the  esteem 
and  confidence  of  his  employers  in  the  town  of  Frank- 
linsville  and  became  a  trusted  and  influential  clerk  in 
a  mercantile  house  there. 

While  yet  a  young  man  he  accepted  a  position  in 
the  Franklinsville  Manufacturing  Company,  where  he 
served  with  great  efficiency  for  a  number  of  years. 
On  the  organization  of  the  Deep  River  Manufacturing 
Company  he  became  a  member  of  that  corporation  and 
gave  his  personal  attention  to  its  business. 

Here,  by  reason  of  his  marked  integrity,  his  fair  and 
upright  dealing,  his  kindly  attention  to  all  with  whom 
he  was  associated,  he  won  the  confidence,  and  to  a 
great  extent  the  affection,  of  the  people  generally  in 
the  community.  In  the  year  1856  he  was  elected 
principal  agent  of  the  Deep  River  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, and  to  his  management  was  committed  to  a  large 


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extent  the  business  interests  of  that  prosperous  and 
influential  corporation.  So  satisfactorily  and  success- 
fully did  he  discharge  the  duties  of  his  office,  that  for 
eighteen  years  he  was  annually  re-elected  to  the  same 
responsible  position. 

In  1880  he  removed  from  Franklinsville  to  Greens- 
boro, in  order  to  engage  personally  in  the  mercantile 
business  with  the  firm  of  Odell  &  Co.,  in  which  busi- 
ness he  had  had  an  interest  for  a  number  of  years. 
Having  exclusive  charge  of  the  retail  department  of 
this  large  establishment,  he  came  directly  in  contact 
with  the  better  class  of  people  in  Greensboro  and  the 
surrounding  country.  Such  were  his  manners,  his 
methods,  his  high-toned,  gentlemanly  bearing  and 
spirit,  that  he  won  very  soon  the  respect  and  confid- 
ence of  the  community,  and  it  is  but  simple  justice  for 
me  to  say,  that  possibly  no  business  man  among  us 
enjoyed  a  wider  reputation  for  honesty,  integrity  and 
uprightness  of  character  than  did  he. 

Everywhere  respected  and  appreciated,  possibly, 
nowhere  else  were  his  many  virtues  and  excellencies 
so  clearly  seen  as  in  his  domestic  relations.  As  a 
husband  and  father  he  was  constant,  affectionate, 
gentle  and  forbearing.  To  him,  in  truth,  there  was 
"no  place  like  home."  He  spared  no  effort  to  make 
home  comfortable,  attractive  and  pleasant,  and  he  was 
never  happier  than  when  in  the  family  circle  surrounded 
by  all  the  members  of  his  household.  This  loving 
affection  was  mutual  among  the  inmates,  and  his 
brightest,  happiest  hours  were  passed  within  the  sacred 
precincts  of  his  own  quiet,  lovely  home. 


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Of  his  religious  life  and  character  much  might  be 
written. 

It  is  not  known  certainly  at  what  time  he  made  a 
public  profession  of  faith  in  Christ,  but  it  was  at  an 
early  period  of  his  life.  So  uniform,  consistent  and 
upright  had  been  his  general  deportment  of  conduct 
all  the  while,  that  there  was  little  change  in  his  outer 
life  after  he  professed  conversion.  However,  he  be- 
came more  interested  in.  Church  work,  more  attached 
to  the  preachers,  and  more  anxious  to  do  good.  About 
the  year  1860  he  was  elected  Superintendent  of  our 
Sunday  School  at  Franklins ville.  For  this  work  he 
was  peculiarly  adapted,  being  by  nature  fond  of 
children,  and  so  constituted  as  to  take  special  pleasure 
in  reading  and  studying  the  word  of  God  and  of  in- 
structing and  encouraging  the  young.  He  was  greatly 
beloved  by  both  the  teachers  and  pupils  of  his  school, 
and  so  great  was  the  satisfaction  felt  by  the  Church  and 
people  in  regard  to  his  work,  that  for  eighteen  years 
he  was  continued  in  the  same  position.  To  him  this 
proved  both  a  pleasant  and  profitable  work,  and  he 
has  often  spoken  to  me  of  how  much  he  enjoyed  this 
labor  of  love  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord. 

Three  years  ago  he  transferred  his  membership 
to  the  church  in  Greensboro,  and  at  once  became  active 
and  useful.  In  the  fall  of  1882  he  was  elected  a  stew- 
ard, and  also  put  in  charge  of  the  infant  department 
of  the  Sunday  School.  In  both  of  these  positions  he 
served  with  great  fidelity,  was  prompt,  attentive,  in- 
dustrious and  intelligent.  No  member  of  the  Official 
Body  seemed  more  ready  to  approve  what  was  proper 


6 


and  more  willing  to  help  in  everything  that  looked  to 
the  prosperity  of  the  church,  than  was  he.  He  was 
very  fond  of  the  public  church  service,  and  like  the 
Psalmist,  seemed  always  to  say,  "I  was  glad  when 
they  said  unto  me,  let  us  go  unto  the  house  of  the 
Lord." 

For  some  time  past  it  has  been  his  custom  to  sit 
near  the  pulpit  and  take  notes  of  the  sermon,  that  he 
might  study  it  more  thoroughly  after  his  return  home. 
He  was  also  a  diligent  reader,  and  devoted  much  of 
his  leisure  time  to  the  perusal  of  good  books,  and  in 
this  way  continued  to  improve  and  enrich  his  mind, 
and  also  largely  add  to  his  store  of  knowledge. 

There  were  two  features  of  his  religious  character 
that  ought  especially  to  be  made  prominent. 

The  one  was  his  readiness  at  all  times  to  talk  pri- 
vately on  the  subject  of  religion.  While  he  was 
always  too  timid  to  say  much  in  church  meetings,  it 
seemed  always  a  pleasure  for  him  to  converse  pri- 
vately about  his  own  personal  experience.  He  was 
not  ashamed  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  because  he  felt 
that  it  was,  to  him,  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation. 

Brother  Curtis  had  not  enjoyed  perfect  health  for 
a  number  of  years.  Although  he  was  active  and  kept 
constantly  at  work,  his  friends  feared  that  his  consti- 
tution was  too  much  impaired  to  resist  long  the  strain 
and  wear  of  active  business  life.  Alas,  this  fear  was 
only  too  well  founded.  Last  Winter  he  contracted 
deep  cold,  which  settled  upon  his  lungs  and  superin- 
duced a  violent  case  of  pneumonia.  For  days  and 
weeks  it  was  uncertain  whether  or  not  he  would  be 


I 


7 

able  to  resist  the  disease,  but  receiving  the  best  medi- 
cal attention,  together  with  the  most  careful  and  ten- 
der nursing,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  he  sufficiently 
recovered  to  return  again  to  business  for  a  few  months, 
but  kept  feeble  all  the  while. 

About  three  months  ago  he  began  to  suffer  with 
what  proved  to  be  disease  of  the  heart — defective  heart 
action.  This  trouble  at  once  alarmed  his  physician, 
for  he  feared  it  was  of  too  serious  a  nature  to  be 
easily,  if  at  all,  remedied.  These  fears  were  well 
grounded. 

Since  that  time  he  has  all  the  while  been  in  a  most 
critical  condition.  Sometimes  at  the  point  of  death, 
sometimes  seemingly,  but  not  really,  better.  This 
varying  condition  continued  until  ten  days  ago,  when 
he  began  rapidly  and  steadily  to  decline.  Day  after 
day  his  symptoms  became  more  alarming  and  his 
strength  grew  less,  until,  on  Friday,  all  thought  the 
end  was  at  hand. 

However,  he  developed  some  strength  and  rallied  a 
little  for  a  few  hours,  but  on  Saturday  the  life  tide 
began  surely  to  ebb  away.  Conscious,  but  unable  to 
speak,  without  fear,  and  seemingly  without  suffering, 
he  waited  the  final  result.  At  101  o'clock,  on  Sun- 
day night,  Sept.  13th,  surrounded  by  friends  and  loved 
ones,  without  a  struggle  he  breathed  his  last  and  fell 
asleep.  "  Mark  the  perfect  man,  and  behold  the  up- 
right, for  the  end  of  that  man  is  peace." 

"Jesus  can  make  a  dying  bed 

Feel  soft  as  downy  pillows  are, 
While  on  his  breast  1  lean  my  head, 

And  breathe  my  life  out  sweetly  there." 


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Having  finished  his  work  on  earth,  Bro.  Curtis  has 
entered  upon  rest.  He  leaves  the  Church  a  rich 
legacy  in  a  name  unsullied,  a  character  untarnished, 
and  an  example  that  we  may  all  follow  with  safety. 

May  all  the  members  of  his  household,  and  the  en- 
tire membership  of  the  Church,  live  as  he  lived,  with 
constant  reference  to  death  and  eternity,  and  may  we 
all  like  him  find,  in  Christ,  a  sure  support  in  life  and 
in  death. 


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